


Gibberish

by livxxmarie



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, the dead move
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 01:33:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7738075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livxxmarie/pseuds/livxxmarie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some normal teenage conversations with some normal teenage boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gibberish

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” Link started, his eyes locked with the bedspread beneath him. Rhett was on the floor in front of him, and he nodded solemnly.

“You don’t have to make a decision yet. You don’t have to stick by me if you don’t want to. It won’t hurt my feelings. It’s just college. We’ve been best friends for twelve years. Four years apart isn’t gonna break us.”

Link didn’t look up at Rhett, instead focusing his gaze intently on the stitching beneath his fingertips. He ran his hand along the dark blue comforter, mind flickering to how it felt like only days ago that the room was filled with dinosaur memorabilia. Now, the walls were plastered with random posters and the shelves were littered with trophies.

“Why don’t we go out to Cape Fear? We don’t have to think about any of this yet.” Rhett’s voice was casual as he spoke, but anyone could see that the man was far from relaxed. Link nodded in agreement, hoping the trip would lighten his mood, and they headed outside.

The way to Cape Fear was silent, neither teenager knowing how to bring the conversation to an easier path, both of their minds racing rapidly as they took in the fact that all of their plans had been demolished in a single event.

Link kept his eyes low, studying his surroundings as a way to calm his natural anxiety. Rhett was usually the one to lead the conversation as they walked, but today he remained quiet, too absorbed in his thoughts. After they had reached their usual spot, Link had concluded that the silence was only eating him more, and finally initiated discussion.

“I don’t think it’ll be too hard for me to decide,” Link stated, his voice strange even to his own ears. He wasn’t sure what his emotions were, but he knew they were dominated by anxiety. Rhett’s gray eyes looked up at him, a silent wish for him to continue.

“I mean, I know we said film school, but before we even decided on that we told each other it’d be us. I don’t care where we go, man. I’m gonna go with you.” Link felt a wave of relief wash over him after he had spoken, confident in his words and feeling more reassured by the second.

Link wasn’t even sure why he’d had to think on it. It was obvious that he would stay with Rhett. The blond was his best friend of twelve years, his closest confidant, and his blood brother. They were melded to each other. While that brought them endless teasing from the guys, Link wouldn’t change their friendship for the world. When Link turned to Rhett for his reaction, the man had a look plastered on his features that was filled with an emotion that Link couldn’t decipher.

“C’mon. Let’s go swimmin’ before the sun sets, bo,” Link said, sending his friend the first genuine smile he’d had in at least two hours.

Rhett seemed relieved to have something to do and the strange look on his face was wiped off immediately by the cool water that surrounded them. They swam for what had to have been two hours, laughing and bantering as if the tension from earlier had never even occurred, and both exited the water with bright smiles and flushed cheeks.

They made their way back to Rhett’s house and continued their usual jokes, Diane shaking her head fondly at them as they walked into the kitchen and Link downed a bag of bacon bits. She kissed them both on the cheek, leaning up on her tiptoes for each one, and told them that they would be home alone for a few hours while Rhett’s parents went out on their weekly date night.

The boys settled in the living room easily, Link throwing his feet over Rhett’s legs expecting to rouse the man, but the blond being too exhausted to make any audible complaints.

“Why does cold water make people tired?” Link asked, peering up at Rhett. The teenager snorted in response.

“How should I know?”

“You’re a smart guy. I figure you’d know if anyone knew.”

Rhett shrugged at this, but seemed pleased by the indirect comment. Link felt himself smiling at his friend as the man muttered some weak hypothesis about temperature.

“See?” Link said after Rhett had finished speaking, nudging the man with his foot. “I knew you’d have some kind of reason for it.”

Rhett rolled his eyes fondly, toppling over from his seated position so that he was laying on top of the brunet, who groaned immediately in protest.

“Rhett, why do you always gotta-“

“I’m dead.”

Link huffed out an annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes.

“You’re not dead. You’re alive. You are breathing.”

“I’m dead,” Rhett replied, his voice quiet and tired. Link contemplating giving in and allowing the tall teenager to rest on him, but the idea of waking up with a lanky body on top of his own in that kind of summer heat won over his sympathy.

“It’s too hot for this, man,” Link breathed, shoving Rhett with all of his might. Eventually, he managed to get half of his body out from under the blond, and he glared at the man as soon as he was given the opportunity.

“Why?” Link asked, voice whiny and impatient as he poked Rhett forcefully as a last attempt at escape.

Rhett closed his eyes and mumbled incoherently into the smaller boy’s shirt. The brunet continued to prod the man with his finger until it was evident that Rhett had had enough and gave in, pushing himself back up to his seated position. Link huffed an exaggerated sigh of relief, jokingly mumbling about how he was too old for Rhett’s antics, and the gray-eyed man looked at him suddenly.

“We are old, huh?”

“What?”

“I mean, we just had a discussion about college earlier.” The strange look was back on Rhett’s features again as he spoke, eyes darting to the space in between the two men on the couch.

“I know, man. It feels like just yesterday we were in Ms. Locklear’s class writing dirty words on our desks.”

Rhett chuckled at this, but the look did not dissipate and he refused to look his companion in the eyes.

“What’s goin’ on with you, man?” Link was beginning to feel self-conscious, anxiously drawing conclusions. “Do you not want me to go to the same college as you?”

“I don’t know, Link. It’s hard to explain.”

“Well we’ve got all night,” Link pressed, feeling a burst of annoyance at his best friend’s melodrama. Rhett’s eyes met his own once more and he breathed in loudly.

“I just, I don’t want you to be missing out because of me, you know? And if you decide that you’re gonna follow me, that’s awesome, but like, maybe it’s also _not_ awesome. Do you know what I mean?”

“No. Not really.” Link felt a bit dejected, uncomfortable with the way Rhett was talking about their friendship.

“I don’t know, man, you just mean a lot to me. And I don’t know what that means.”

“It means we’re best friends,” Link replied. He felt that his face was blushing and he willed it away.

“I feel like we’re more than that, though.” Rhett’s eyes scanned the couch intently as he looked for the words he was trying to say. “We’re best friends, we’re blood brothers, we’re practically the same person. But I’m afraid that if we go to college, we’ll lose that.”

“We gotta go to college, man. Won’t it be easier to keep the bond going if we’re in the same place?”

“Sure, but it’ll be harder, too.”

“How so?”

Rhett suddenly looked much more uncomfortable than he was before, as if he had revealed too much to both of them, and he shook his head as he mumbled something with the intention of diverting the conversation.

“Seriously, man. Tell me.”

“It’s nothing. I’m just talking gibberish.”

“I’m not gonna let this go.”

“I just told you! It’s nothing!”

“It’s obviously _something_.”

“Why can’t you just let things be, for once?” Rhett snapped. Link resisted the overwhelming urge to snap back, knowing that an argument would cancel out every opportunity for him to understand what was going on beneath Rhett’s skull, and instead waited a moment for Rhett to speak again. The blond huffed a quick breath and met him with an apologetic gaze.

“I’m sorry, man.”

“I know,” Link replied. “But I’m gonna piss you off again and tell you that I’m still not letting this be.”

Rhett sighed exasperatedly and his eyes met Link’s, pleading with him.

“Can we have this conversation later?”

“Do you promise you’re going to tell me the truth and that you won’t divert?”

“Are you gonna let me nap for an hour?”

“My answer’s yes if your answer’s yes.”

“Alright, fine, fine.”

Link watched as Rhett resigned to the end of the couch with a reclining feature, long legs still dangling hopelessly off the edge as he situated himself and rested his eyes. Link’s felt his chest falter momentarily, a surge of something pulsing through his veins, but what it was that he wanted he wasn’t sure.

He felt dejected after having not received his answer, allowing his head to fall back on the couch as he stared at the popcorn ceiling. As he tried to distract himself, he idly wondered how it would feel to pick off pieces of the ceiling, plaster crumbling in his hand. His first reaction was to look to Rhett and ask him, a prediction that the man could probably reach it with ease if they used a chair of some sort. Immediately remembering that the boy was probably sleeping, his head turned anyways to catch a look at him, and he was surprised to see gray eyes peering into his own. Rhett opened his mouth to explain his reason for being awake, but not wanting to forget his current question, Link glanced above them and interrupted Rhett’s speech.

“Can you reach the ceiling?”

“Wait, what?”

“Can you reach it? You’re super tall. You’ve got to be able to reach it.” Link waited for an answer, but Rhett’s features were still dripping with confusion, and the brunet continued with his explanation. “I want to know if you can pick off the popcorn. Like, the little plaster things on there. I would do it myself, but I don’t think I can reach.”

Rhett had an eyebrow quirked at the unexpected question and a bemused smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. He stared at Link for a moment, silence filling the air between them, and Link felt the same pulse of emotion he felt earlier coursing through him once more. He swallowed, suddenly much more desperate to move around. Rhett broke the eye contact first, standing up swiftly and observing the ceiling with newfound curiosity.

“Go get me that chair,” Rhett demanded, gesturing vaguely.

“Why don’t you just use the couch, man?”

Rhett turned to him once more, eyes now fixated on the sectional that Link was perched onto.

“I could fall.”

“You’re not gonna fall,” Link replied, rolling his eyes. “I’ll hold you up.” The feeling came back vehemently, but the brunet was determined to force it back down. Rhett nodded shortly and brought both of his arms to the back of the couch, pulling himself up.

“If you let me fall, man—“ Rhett started, eyeing Link nervously. The brunet flashed a cheeky smile.

“When have I ever failed you, brother?”

Rhett rolled his eyes fondly, not adding onto the conversation, simply gesturing for Link to grab his legs and reaching easily to the ceiling. Link’s hands were tight around Rhett’s calves and the shorter of the two felt his face flush as he felt the muscles flexing beneath his hands. The strange feeling came back once more, stronger than ever, and Link’s brain fought to keep his arms steady. Rhett wiggled his legs a moment later, indicating that he needed no assistance to get back down, tumbling gracelessly onto the couch next to Link just a few seconds later.

“That was satisfying. In a weird way.” Rhett stared at the clusters of plaster in his hand before holding them over to Link. As the shorter of the two reached out to grab them, Rhett let out a chuckle and shook his head.

“What is it?” Link asked, self-consciousness suddenly sparked. Since when did he get so nervous around Rhett?

 “It never ceases to amaze me how much your hands shake, dude.”

Link rolled his eyes, smiling as the plaster bits were dropped into his hand. He made a face and grimaced dramatically.

“At least they’re not soakin’ wet all the time like yours!”

Rhett laughed and scratched the back of his head with his hand. They grew silent after a moment, Link studying the ceiling that he held as Rhett glanced around the room.

“So now what?”

Link glanced up from his hand and placed the plaster onto the coffee table, setting his face into a look of seriousness.

“Now you tell me what you were gonna say earlier.”

“ _Link_ ,” Rhett started, sighing. The brunet shook his head, unyielding, and when Rhett still showed no signs of communication, he tried to abstain from being contentious as he spoke.

“Rhett, if you don’t want us going to the same college together, you have to tell me why. I’m not just going to accept it and move on.” The pain from earlier sparked once more in his chest at the thought of his best friend being sick of him. He pushed it back forcefully, convinced that the man had good reason for his feelings.

“Alright, but you can’t be weird about it, okay? Like, just. I don’t know.”

Rhett’s face morphed into one of pure distress and he shut his eyes, rubbing his face with his hand. Link’s concern spiked and thoughts of his own personal feelings flew out the window as he witnessed his best friend’s sudden emotions. It was shocking to see Rhett display such a real sense of anything that was not logic or reasoning, the man strictly factual based and very rarely heading into emotional territory. His feelings were never the top priority and he rarely dwelled on them or spoke about them, so to see the man in such a mood was alarming, to say the least.

“Is everything okay?” Link spoke, his voice sounding almost childlike to his own ears. He felt much less aggressive than before, speaking gently.

“I don’t want you to hate me,” Rhett admitted. He looked at Link, dark eyebrows furrowed, gray eyes apprehensive.

“I couldn’t hate you.”

“That doesn’t matter. It could make things different. It _will_ make things different.”

“They don’t have to be.”

“I think I want them to be, Link.”

The blue eyed man was perplexed and speechless, unsure of what Rhett meant or how he was supposed to respond. The conversation had come to an unexpected pause, silence filling the space in between them for more than long enough to establish an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Link’s stomach. Before he could say something to break the tension, Rhett turned away, looking at the door.

“I can’t do it anymore, man. I can’t. I have so many stupid feelings and I hate them but they’re not going away. And I’m sorry because I really want to go to college with you but I don’t think I can do it.”

“What are you talking about?” Link waited a moment for clarification, but when silence only followed, he put a careful hand on Rhett’s shoulder. The blond whipped his head around, brows furrowed anxiously in a mix of anger and fear that Link had never seen gracing Rhett’s features.

“I’m in love with you, Link! Can’t you tell? Can’t you see it? I’ve been trying _so hard_ to just hold it all in but I’m slipping, man, and I know you can tell.”

Link blinked, mouth slightly agape as he took in all of the information he was just fed. His heart pressed against his chest with fervor, the reverberating sound humming in his ears. He wasn’t sure what to think, but he felt blindsided, and did his best to grasp it. Before he could say anything or even process all of the emotions he was feeling, Rhett was speaking again.

“I really thought you knew. I think I was just convincing myself that you felt the same. I don’t know why I’m even talking.”

Rhett’s voice grew from normal volume to a low mumble, trailing off as his gaze shifted back to the doorway. Link was still staring where he had been a moment before, the feeling that had been coming in waves to him back with intensity. Before he realized what was happening, he was speaking, his voice strangely jubilant.

“Really?”

Rhett turned back towards him, an eyebrow quirked. He had obviously not expected Link’s reaction, and truth be told, neither had the brunet himself. He’d never thought of Rhett in that way before and had no clue that the man had felt for him the way he did, but now that was looking at him, a puzzle that Link didn’t realize he had been trying to solve clicked into place. All of the times the brunet had caught himself blushing at extended eye contact, catching himself smiling at his best friend for absolutely no reason, the way his heart sped up whenever the blond winked jokingly towards him, even just a few minutes ago when he had felt so dizzy just by holding Rhett’s long legs. That feeling that had been settling within him for months, pulsing through him unfamiliarly at inconvenient times—even more so today, Link noted—had such a simple explanation. He smiled, spirits suddenly lifted into the air as he stared into Rhett’s dusty gray eyes, self-conscious despite what he had already heard to be true.

“What are you thinking?” Rhett asked, expression unreadable. Link’s smile was plastered on his face as he turned his head towards the ground, shaking it bashfully.

“I don’t even know, bo. This might sound crazy. But I think I might be in love with you, too.”

As Link spoke, he rose his head back up to catch Rhett’s expression, unsurprised to see that it was guarded with disbelief. Wishing he didn’t have to make the first move, but knowing that Rhett would never do anything to cross a boundary that didn’t actually exist, the brunet leaned in, intertwining their fingers as his hands shook mercilessly. The gray-eyed teenager’s gaze flickered from their hands to Link’s eyes and a slow, hopeful smile began to spread across his face. Link felt the swell of adrenaline coarse through him quickly and without thinking, pressed a kiss to the perky apple Rhett’s cheek. He admired the strange feeling of stubble beneath his lips for a moment before Rhett surprised him by turning his head, capturing the brunet’s lips with his own. They broke apart almost instantly, both flushed and feeling ridiculously young, giddy with affection and the world suddenly falling into place in such a relaxing manner.

They sat in stunned silence for a beat as they stared at their intertwined hands as if they held the secrets to the universe before Link laughed and shook his head.

“What is it?” Rhett asked, smile in his voice. Link looked up from their fingers to Rhett’s eyes, peeking up at him with a crooked grin on his face.

“Feels like you just went swimmin’. Such sweaty hands, bo.”

Rhett laughed at this, head falling backward, hilarity of the situation amplified by their newfound exhilaration.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Make me,” Link replied, winking suggestively. His face flushed at the action but he held his ground, expecting another kiss. He already missed the way Rhett’s lips felt against his own. Instead, the tall teenager raised his eyebrows and sent him a devilish grin before falling against him, tipping them both over with an unceremonious yelp from Link.

“Rhett, what the—“

“I’m dead.”


End file.
